Guest Editors
Dr. Bernard Saw Lip Huat is currently an assistant professor in the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Malaysia. He received his Master degree from University of Malaya (UM), Malaysia in 2009 and Ph.D. degree from National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore in 2015. He is the chairperson for the UTAR Centre for Vehicular Technology and Chartered Engineer registered with the Engineering Council (UK). His research interests include green materials, renewable energy, thermal management, energy storage system and numerical modeling such as CFD, electrochemical modeling and electro-thermal modeling of the energy storage system. He is the co-chair for the International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology (SEGT 2018 & 2019).
Dr. Chong Wen Tong joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Malaya as associate professor after spending 10 years in various industries. He is a Chartered Engineer registered with the Engineering Council (UK). He served as the Programme Coordinator (Mechanical) for about 5 years (2011-2015) and currently he is the Head of UM Centre for Energy Sciences. He has co-authored >110 ISI technical articles (h-index = 27). He is the Conference Chair of International Conference on Sustainable Energy and Green Technology (SEGT 2018 & 2019).
Dr. Shufeng Song is currently an associate professor in the College of Aerospace Engineering of Chongqing University, China. He received his Ph.D. degree from Shanghai Institute of Ceramics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, in 2011. His research interests include green materials, energy storage materials, solid electrolytes and batteries.
Summary
The special issue on renewable materials for sustainable development
covers research in applied or fundamental science of nano-, micro-,
meso- and macro-scale aspects of green materials for sustainable
development. It focuses on recent progress and research studies of
materials related to sustainable development applications, particularly
in the development of alternatives to traditional materials or processes
that offer environmental advantages. The papers may present
theoretical, numerical or experimental findings within the context of
green materials with an emphasis on reducing the use of hazardous
substances in the design, manufacturing and application of commercial
products. Interesting topics considered are including but not limited to
the following:
● Emerging materials for sustainable energy and environment
● Innovative materials for water-energy-health nexus
● Eco-building materials for sustainability and innovative construction
● Materials applications related to green energy
● Bio-based materials and bioenergy
Keywords
Green materials; sustainable development; eco-building materials; bio-materials; green energy
Published Papers
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Novel Magnetically Interconnected Micro/Macroporous Structure of Monolithic Porous Carbon Adsorbent Derived from Sodium Alginate and Wasted Black Liquor and Its Adsorption Performance**
Parichart Onsri, Decha Dechtrirat, Patcharakamon Nooeaid, Apiluck Eiad-ua, Pongsaton Amornpitoksuk, Supanna Techasakul, Ahmad Taufiq, Laemthong Chuenchom
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.6, pp. 1059-1074, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013362
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract The novel and facile preparation of magnetically interconnected micro/
macroporous structure of monolithic porous carbon adsorbent (MPCA) were
designed and presented herein. The synthesis was achieved
via conventional
freeze-drying and pyrolysis processes. In this study, sodium alginate and wasted
black liquor were employed as starting precursors. Sodium alginate acts as a template
of materials, whereas black liquor, the wasted product from the paper industry with
plentiful of lignin content and alkaline solution, played an essential role in the reinforcement and activation of porosity for the resulting materials. Moreover, both the
precursors were well dissolved in Fe
3+ solution, providing a simple…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Enhanced Thermal Performance of Roofing Materials by Integrating Phase Change Materials to Reduce Energy Consumption in Buildings
Chanita Mano, Atthakorn Thongtha
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.3, pp. 495-506, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013201
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract This work focused on characterizing and improving the thermal behavior of metal sheet roofing. To decrease the heat transfer from the roof into a building, we investigated the efficiency of four types of phase change materials, with different melting points: PCM І, PCM II, PCM III and PCM IV, when used in conjunction with a sheet metal roof. The exterior metal roofing surface temperature was held constant at 50°C, 60°C, 70°C and 80°C, using a thermal source (halogen lights) for 360 min to investigate and compare the thermal performance of the metal sheet roofing with and without phase change materials…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Ancient Materials and Substitution Materials Used in Thai Historical Masonry Structure Preservation
Natthanan Wonganan, Chainarong Athisakul, Peerasit Mahasuwanchai, Weerachart Tangchirapat, Raktipong Sahamitmongkol, Sutat Leelataviwat
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 179-204, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013134
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract The historical structures of Thailand are some of the most fascinating ancient sites in Asia. Their architectures reveal past cultures, traditions, knowledge, and expertise. Masonry materials are the major materials used to construct the historical structures in Thailand. One of the essential problem of Thai historical structure preservation is a shortage of engineering properties data for the structural stability assessment. Moreover, the in-depth engineering properties and the suitable substitution materials for Thai historical preservation are rarely found. Therefore, the engineering properties of the ancient masonry materials have to be explored together with the development of suitable substitute materials. This paper…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Preparation of Activated Carbon from Durian Rind with Difference Activations and Its Optimization
Pongsert Sriprom, Warawut Krusong, Pornsawan Assawasaengrat
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 311-324, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.012560
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Durian rind wastes are an important raw material for activated carbon production due to their renewable sources and low-cost materials. The efficiency of increasing surface area and the quantity of oxygen groups on the surface of activated carbon were studied for the preparation of activated carbon. The preparation of activated carbon has been studied with the different methods as follows: activation by acid, activation by base, hydrothermal and activation by acid, and hydrothermal and activation by base. The results showed that hydrothermal and activation by acid had high iodine number which was chosen to determine the optimum condition for activated…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Study on Factors Affecting Properties of Foam Glass Made from Waste Glass
Yang Liu, Jianjun Xie, Peng Hao, Ying Shi, Yonggen Xu, Xiaoqing Ding
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.2, pp. 237-253, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.012228
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Foam glass is a new green material to make use of waste glass and is popular for its energy-saving and light weight features. The problems in the current study of foam glass is that its properties require improvement to match the growing demands of application specific standards. Properties of foam glass is related to its porous structure, which is affected by various factors. The influence of raw material component, foaming agents and sintering system on the porous structure and properties of foamed glass is studied. Density decreases with the decrease of quartz and barite content. Thermal conductivity is more affected…
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Open Access
REVIEW
A Review on the Utilization of Waste Material for Autoclaved Aerated Concrete Production†
R. A. Rahman, A. Fazlizan, N. Asim, A. Thongtha
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 61-72, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.013296
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) has become more attractive due to
its excellent and environmental-friendly properties in building construction. AAC
is relatively lightweight, possesses lower thermal conductivity, higher heat resistance, lower shrinkage, and fasten construction than normal concrete. AAC is a
combination of silica sand, cement, gypsum, lime, water, and an expansion agent.
To improve its physical and mechanical properties and reduce its production cost,
tremendous innovations where waste materials were utilized as partial replacement of AAC materials were done. This paper is intended to present the literature
on the utilization of waste materials as a means of a partial replacement…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Water Repellency of Cellulosic Fibrous Mats Impregnated with Organic Solutions Based on Recycled Polystyrene
Dafni Foti, Costas Passialis, Elias Voulgaridis, Stergios Adamopoulos
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 85-96, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011868
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Recycled polystyrene in combination with paraffin wax, alkyd resin, and gum rosin were used as components in formulations to investigate their water repellency when applied to cellulosic filter paper substrates. Polystyrene was used in concentration of 5, 10, 15 and 20%, alkyd resin and gum rosin of 5% each and paraffin wax of 0.5%. Totally, twenty four water repellent solutions were prepared. Water repellency was evaluated in terms of water absorption of the cellulosic fibrous mats. The relations between retention of solid substances of the formulations and grammage and water absorption of filter paper samples were also determined. The results…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Prediction and Analysis of Surface Quality of Northeast China Ash Wood during Water-Jet Assisted CO2 Laser Cutting
Ting Jiang, Chunmei Yang, Yueqiang Yu, Bakary S. Doumbia, Jiuqing Liu, Yan Ma
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 119-128, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011490
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract As a natural and environmentally friendly renewable material, Northeast China ash wood (NCAW) (Fraxinus mandshurica Rupr.) was cut by water-jet assisted CO2 laser (WACL), the surface quality was evaluated by surface roughness of cut section. The surface roughness was measured by three-dimensional (3D) profilometry. Furthermore, the micromorphology of machined surface was observed by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). Carbon content changes of machined surface were measured by energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). A relationship between surface roughness and cutting parameters was established using response surface methodology (RSM). It is concluded that the cutting speed, laser power and water pressure played an important… More >
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Preliminary Optimization and Kinetics of SnCl2-HCl Catalyzed Hydrothermal Conversion of Microcrystalline Cellulose to Levulinic Acid
Dexby de Guzman, Rizalinda de Leon
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.9, No.1, pp. 145-162, 2021, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2021.011646
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Levulinic acid (LA) is a platform biorefinery chemical from biomass which can be converted to green solvents, plasticizers, polymer precursors, bio-based cleaning agents, fuels and fuel additives. This study assessed the potential of SnCl
2-based mixed acid systems as catalyst in the hydrothermal conversion of microcrystalline cellulose to levulinic acid. Maximum LA yield of 36.2 mol% was achieved using 0.2 M SnCl
2 concentration at test conditions of 3 h, 180°C and 1% w/v cellulose loading. To reduce precipitate formation and further improve LA yield, the strategy employed was to combine SnCl
2 (a Lewis acid) with conventional mineral acids (Bronsted acids). Evaluation…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
3D Printing of Polylactic Acid Bioplastic–Carbon Fibres and Twisted Kevlar Composites Through Coextrusion Using Fused Deposition Modeling
J. Y. Tey, W. H. Yeo, Y. J. King, W. O. Ding
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.12, pp. 1671-1680, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011870
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Polylactic acid (PLA) bioplastic is a common material used in Fused
Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. It is biodegradable and environmentally
friendly biopolymer which made out of corn. However, it exhibits weak mechanical properties which reduced its usability as a functional prototype in a real-world
application. In the present study, two PLA composites are created through coextruded with 3K carbon fibres and twisted Kevlar string (as core fibre) to form a
fibre reinforced parts (FRP). The mechanical strength of printed parts was examined using ASTM D638 standard with a strain rate of 1 mm/min. It has been
demonstrated that the…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Alleviation of Drought Stress in Wheat Using Exogenous Ulva prolifera Extract Produced by Enzymatic Hydrolysis
Feiyu Li, Siqi Zuo, Yongzhou Chi, Chunying Du, Zhaopeng Shen, Xihong Han, Xiaohui Wang, Peng Wang
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.11, pp. 1519-1529, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011453
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect plant growth and
reduce agricultural productivity. Use of algal extract as a biostimulant is gaining
increased attention from researchers. This study aimed to investigate the potential
of
Ulva prolifera extract (UE) as a biostimulant when enzymatically extracted
under conditions of water deficit. UE treatments (0.02%, 0.06%, and 0.1%) significantly improved the shoot length, root length, and dry weight of roots after
120 h of drought stress relative to that in treatment with the negative control.
An increase in catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activity was also observed
that resulted in…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Effects of Biochar Particle Size on Methane Emissions from Rice Cultivation
Patikorn Sriphirom, Amnat Chidthaisong, Kazuyuki Yagi, Nimaradee Boonapatcharoen, Sudarut Tripetchkul, Sirintornthep Towprayoon
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1199-1214, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.010826
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Biochar amendment is generally recognized as an effective mitigation
option of methane (CH
4) emissions from rice cultivation. Although its mitigation
mechanisms are not well understood, the potential relevance of surface area and
porosity of biochar has been discussed. This study aimed to evaluate the application of different biochar particle sizes on CH
4 production, oxidation, and emissions from rice cultivation in a clay loam soil, based on the assumption that
porosity and surface area of biochar are directly related to its mitigation effects.
Rice was grown under greenhouse conditions for two growing seasons, either
with 0.5–2 mm (small, SB) or with…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Degradation of Spent Radioactive Ion Exchange Resins and Its Mechanisms by Fenton Process
Wendong Feng, Jian Li, Hongxiang An, Yunhai Wang
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1283-1293, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011000
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Spent IERs are released during the operation and decommissioning of
nuclear facilities. The safe and efficient treatment of spent IERs is an emergent
problem in nuclear industry. IRN77 is a typical ion exchange resin widely used
in many nuclear power plants. Fenton process can degrade organic resins and
reduce the radioactive residues volume and the disposal cost significantly. In this
work, the IRN77 resin was selected as a model ion exchange resin and its treatment via Fenton process was investigated. The influencing factors for resin degradation, including catalyst dosage, reaction time, initial pH, temperature and
oxidant dosage were investigated and…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Synthesis of Bio-Plasticizer from Soybean Oil and Its Application in Poly(Vinyl Chloride) Films
Xiao Luo, Hongying Chu, Mengqi Liu
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.10, pp. 1295-1304, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.011026
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Herein, epoxidized soybean oil methyl ester (ESOM) plasticizer was
synthesized for the preparation of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) films
by the alcoholysis and epoxidation. The chemical structure of ESOM was investigated by infrared spectrum and
1H nuclear magnetic resonance. The effect of
content of ESOM and petroleum based plasticizer di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate
(DEHP) on the performance of plasticized PVC films was studied. The result
showed that substituting DEHP with ESOM can improve the thermal stability
of plasticized PVC films. When the weight ratio of ESOM and PVC is fixed at
1:2, plasticized PVC film presents higher elongation at break (350.8% vs.…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Interfacial Modification of Corn Stalk Cellulose Reinforced Used Rubber Powder Composites Treated with Coupling Agent
Weili Wu, Fengyu Chen
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.8, pp. 905-913, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.010558
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Corn stalk cellulose (CS)/used rubber powder (RP) composites were
prepared by mixing, the silane coupling agent 3-Mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane
(KH590), r-Aminopropyltrieth oxysilane (KH550), isopropyl dioleic (dioctylphosphate) titanate (HY101) and bis-(γ-triethoxysilylpropyl)- tetrasulfide (Si69) were
used to modify the interface of composites. The effects of the CS and coupling
agents on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, interfacial morphology
and structure of the composites were investigated, respectively. The results
showed that the addition of CS could effectively improve the mechanical properties of the composites. Compared with the untreated composites, the interfacial
bonding between CS and RP was significantly improved by the coupling modifi-
cation…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Experimental Research on the Physical and Mechanical Properties of Concrete with Recycled Plastic Aggregates
Haikuan Wu, Changwu Liu, Song Shi, Kangliang Chen
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.7, pp. 727-738, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09589
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract In order to study the effect of recycled plastic particles on the physical
and mechanical properties of concrete, recycled plastic concrete with 0, 3%, 5%
and 7% content (by weight) was designed. The compressive strength, splitting
tensile strength and the change of mass caused by water absorption during curing
were measured. The results show that the strength of concrete is increased by adding recycled plastic into concrete. Among them, the compressive strength and the
splitting tensile strength of concrete is the best when the plastic content is 5%.
With the increase of plastic content, the development speed of early strength…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
NaOH/Urea Swelling Treatment and Hydrothermal Degradation of Waste Cotton Fiber
Lixia Gao, Sheng Shi, Wensheng Hou, Shuhua Wang, Zhifeng Yan, Chao Ge
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.6, pp. 703-713, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09055
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract In this study, waste cotton fabric was used as cellulose raw material and
pretreated in aqueous NaOH/urea solution system to investigate the effect of
NaOH/urea pretreatment solution on the hydrolysis of cotton fiber. The cotton
fiber was pretreated with different conditions of aqueous NaOH/urea solution,
and the pretreated cotton fiber was hydrolyzed under the same conditions as
the original cotton fiber. The results of characterization analysis showed that water
retention value of pretreated cotton fiber was higher than that of unpretreated sample. Moreover, the cotton fiber presented both a convoluted structure and a coarser
surface, XRD results suggested that the…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
One-Step Synthesis of Magnetic Zeolite from Zinc Slag and Circulating Fluidized Bed Fly Ash for Degradation of Dye Wastewater
Zhichao Han, Yaojun Zhang, Panyang He
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 405-416, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09351
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract In this study, a magnetic P zeolite was directly synthesized by utilization of industrial solid wastes of zinc slag (ZS) and circulating fluidized bed fly
ash (CFBFA) via one-step hydrothermal method. The effects of different
CFBFA/ZS ratios and hydrothermal times on the as-synthesized zeolite were
investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer
(VSM) results indicated that the magnetic P zeolite possessed well-defined
crystals and superparamagnetism. The as-prepared zeolite was employed as a
Fenton-like solid catalyst for degradation of direct green B dye wastewater. It
was discovered that the magnetic P zeolite took the advantage of rapid separation
and…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Synthesis and Interfacial Properties of Bio-Based Zwitterionic Surfactants Derived from Different Fatty Acids in Non-Edible Vegetable Oils
Hongze Gang, Qiqi Zhang, Wei Wang, Bangxin Cai, Jinfeng Liu, Shizhong Yang, Bozhong Mu
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 417-429, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09201
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract Waste cooking oils and non-edible vegetable oils are abundant and
renewable resources for bio-based materials which have showed great potential
applications in many industries. In this study, five fatty acids commonly found
in non-edible vegetable oils, including palmitic acid, stearic acid, linoleic acid,
linolenic acid, ricinoleic acid, and their mixtures, were used to produce bio-based
zwitterionic surfactants through a facile and high-yield chemical modification.
These surfactants demonstrated excellent surface/interfacial properties with the
minimum surface tensions ranging from 28.4 mN/m to 32.8 mN/m in aqueous
solutions. The interfacial tensions between crude oil and surfactant solutions were
remarkably reduced to lower values…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Sunflower-Like SrCo2S4@f-MWCNTs Hybrid Wrapped by Engineering N-Reduced Graphene Oxide for High Performance Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
Weiming Zhang, Muhammad Wasim Khan, Xueqin Zuo, Qun Yang, Huaibao Tang, Shaowei Jin, Guang Li
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.4, pp. 431-446, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09158
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract A novel sunflower-like nanocomposite of SrCo
2S
4 nanoflakes and
functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNTs) entanglement enveloped
in nitrogen-reduced graphene oxide (N-RGO) is prepared by a cheap process. The
unique entanglement structure of the material exhibits higher specific surface area,
better electrical conductivity and other properties. This helps to reduce the transfer
resistance in the photoelectric process of the battery and improve the electrochemical activity, thus increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery. The new ternary cobalt-based sulfide material can replace platinum as the
counter electrode (CE) material loaded on dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).
DSSCs with SrCo
2S
4@f-MWCNTs@N-RGO (SCS@f-M@N-R) as CE material…
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Open Access
ARTICLE
Experimental Study of Waste Tire Rubber, Wood-Plastic Particles and Shale Ceramsite on the Performance of Self-Compacting Concrete
Lei Tian, Liuchao Qiu, Jingjun Li, Yongsen Yang
Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.2, pp. 154-170, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08701
(This article belongs to this Special Issue:
Renewable materials for sustainable development)
Abstract In recent decades, the utilization of waste tires, plastic and artificial
shale ceramsite as alternative fine aggregate to make self-compacting concrete
(SCC) has been recognized as an eco-friendly and sustainable method to manufacture renewable construction materials. In this study, three kinds of recycled
aggregates: recycled tire rubber particles, wood-plastic particles, artificial shale
ceramsite were used to replace the sand by different volume (5%, 10%, 20%
and 30%), and their effects on the fresh and hardened properties of SCC were
investigated. The slump flow and V-funnel tests were conducted to evaluate the
fresh properties of modified-SCC mixtures. The hardened properties include…
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